The Secret Sensuality Of Written Words

As Divine Caroline's You.Propelled campaign continues to support the big payouts that come through small changes, I started thinking about passion and how the lack of it can be such a hugely divisive, distancing factor in a relationship. So, here's a bell-and-whistle-free fix for putting you in the mood.

Whether it's thumbing through the sleaziest romance novel at the grocery store or discreetly Googling plot synopses of X-rated movies, one of the easiest ways to enhance your love life right now is to simply read—and let your imagination run wild.

Sex guides and toys be damned, I maintain that the brain is the most sensual organ in your arousal arsenal. After all, your noggin is responsible for interpreting all the physical stimuli as sexual pleasure. So as much as I love to poke fun at those paperbacks with Fabio lookalikes clutching scantily clad dames, I'll be the first to admit, nothing revs up a sex drive quite like a few choice chapters in a sordid harlequin. Read: 4 Things You Didn't Know About Romance Novelists

An astounding slice of the U.S. population agrees. According to the Romance Writers of America, romance novels constitute the largest share of the consumer book market, with well over $1 billion in annual sales. But if you're looking for a quick rush, why waste time wading through all the he-said, she-said drama? Why not go one small step further and sink some teeth into some full-blooded erotic fiction? Watch: Confessions of an Erotica Writer

It is a very fine line between the two genres—a line that ultimately determines whether or not you would take it out to read in public. But in my opinion, erotic fiction can be as simple as reading the back of the DVD for Boogie Nights. It's all relative to your capacity to immerse yourself in the imagery—start your arousal from the brain down. Reading erotica, on whatever level of intensity, is an immediate mental exercise and sexual stimuli at the same time. It can provide ideas for the bedroom and act as foreplay. And compared to porn, it's ten times classier. So what are you waiting for? Exercise your sexual literacy today!

In addition to keeping you hydrated, Propel offers lots of resources to help us live a more streamlined, efficient life. Check out the stories, conversations and $5,000 sweeps at You.Propelled on DivineCaroline.